Indian-Spiced Beet Soup

Ingredients

• 4 medium beets
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 medium red onions, chopped
• coarse salt
• black pepper, freshly ground
• 2-3 jalapenos, seeded if desired and chopped
• 2-3 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced (use smaller amount for less heat)
• 1 tablespoon cumin seed, toasted for 3 minutes in a dry skillet and ground
• 1 teaspoon turmeric, ground
• 1 teaspoon coriander, ground
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)
• 7 cups vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 14 ounces diced tomatoes, no salt added
• 1/4 cup uncooked basmati rice
• 3/4 teaspoon garam masala
• sour cream, for serving
• fresh cilantro, Chopped, for garnish

Directions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Scrub and trim the beets, leaving 1 inch of stems attached. Wrap in a foil pouch and seal edges tightly. Roast on a baking sheet for 75 to 90 minutes, or until very tender. Open pouch and, when beets are cool enough to handle, rub the skin off with your fingers. Cut into small cubes.

2. 2

   While beets roast, make the soup: In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil on medium low. Add the onions, season with salt and pepper, and cook until very soft, about 10 minutes. Add the jalapenos and ginger and cook 3 more minutes, stirring often. Add the cumin, turmeric, coriander and crushed red pepper and cook 2 minutes more, stirring continuously. Add the broth, tomatoes and 1 Tbs. of the honey and bring to a boil. Add the rice. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 25 minutes.

3. 3

   Add the chopped beets to the soup and remove from heat. Using a handheld immersion blender (or working in batches with a regular blender), puree until you have a smooth consistency. Put soup over medium-high heat and bring to a bare simmer. Stir in the garam masala and remaining honey. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed. If soup is thicker than you like, add a small amount of water. Ladle into bowls and garnish with sour cream and cilantro.